


Making Peace

by jagnikjen



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-05-20
Updated: 2009-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-15 22:18:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14799029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jagnikjen/pseuds/jagnikjen
Summary: Josh and Donna go to the mall, and Josh runs into Amy. Chapter one is written from Josh's POV, chapter two from Amy's, and chapter three from Donna's POV.





	1. Making Peace - 01

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

“Hey, baby, it’s okay...shh...” Josh jiggled his daughter against his shoulder. She cried in earnest for her mother now, tears and snot streaming down her chubby white face.

Mall shoppers were beginning to stare. Women generally tended to smile at him with an _awww-ain’t-the-daddy-cute_ look. But embarrassment began to creep over him. He couldn’t make his own child stop crying. What did that say about him?

He smiled and nodded at a woman hurrying by. “She’s hungry...”

He looked toward the bathrooms. Where was Donna, anyhow? She said she’d only be gone for a few minutes using the ladies room and getting something to drink. If Kennedy would just take a bottle, he’d be okay, but she’d been stubbornly resistant to giving up the breast.

Not that he blamed her, because her mother’s breasts were exquisite, even more so since having been pregnant with and nursing their daughter.

He tried the pacifier again, but the baby was having nothing to do with a silicone nipple and ratcheted the volume up a notch. “Donna...” he muttered under his breath.

“Hey, Jay...? Is that you?” asked a familiar voice that sent warning bells clanging in his head. “Having a little problem there?”

He whirled around. “A-Amy, hi...” _Shit._ Just his luck, to be alone and vulnerable. Where was Donna when he needed her? “What’re you doing here?”

“Well, it’s a mall, Jay...Who’ve got there?” Amy asked, a smile softening her face. She reached out and touched Kennedy’s fist. “She’s precious.”

Kennedy was momentarily distracted by the stranger’s voice and the touch, and her cries were reduced to a low simmer.

Was this the same Amy who would have cut off his gonads and handed them to him on a silver platter had the situation been right? She looked the same, but the vibes coming off her were way different.

“This is Kennedy. She’s four months old,” Josh replied, warily. He thought she’d moved to New York. Granted, it was just a hop, skip, and a jump from D.C. But he hadn’t seen her in awhile, and was surprised to see her now.

“Yours?” she asked, smiling.

Kennedy was over the curiosity of the strange lady and started crying in earnest again. Her white curls dampened from her exertion.

He nodded, and grinned. He couldn’t help it. He was mighty proud of this accomplishment. “Can’t you tell?—She’s got my lungs.” He chuckled self-consciously.

“Need some help? I used to be pretty good with babies.” Amy held out her hands.

“Actually, she’s protesting the delay of mealtime—something I’m not equipped to handle.” Josh glanced around for Donna. “But if you want to hold her anyway...”

“Sure.” Amy accepted Kennedy and cradled her in her arms. Unfortunately for Amy, that was feeding position and Kennedy began rooting around Amy’s breast. Amy quickly realized her error and shifted Kennedy’s position. “Sorry, baby,” she murmured.

Josh felt the heat lick up his face. “Oh, God, I’m sorry. She’s bre—um... nursed.”

“Yeah, you said that. My fault,” Amy said, holding his still-crying daughter face out, while bouncing her slightly. “It’s not like it was you or anything.”

Josh’s eyes flew to Amy’s face.

She laughed. “Kidding, Jay, kidding.”

“Yeah, well, don’t kid about something like that. Donna’ll kill me.”

“So you finally made an honest woman of her.” Not a question, a statement. As if it were a foregone conclusion. Well, for a lot of people—who weren’t him—it probably was.

Josh looked at Amy; studied her face. There was no smirk, no hardness, no coldness. And there was no rancor or insult in her voice, either. Just acceptance.

He nodded, grinning again like an idiot. “I did. We’ve been married for thirteen months, now.” Best thing that ever happened to him.

Amy’s brow rose and her gaze flicked to the baby.

Josh chuckled again. “Conceived during our honeymoon, I swear.”

She smiled. A genuine smile. One he hadn’t seen since college. “I believe you.”

“Not that it matters if you don’t, ‘cau—” Because Donna and Kennedy were the only things that mattered anymore.

“ _Jay._ I’m not here to cause trouble. Maybe, not too long ago, I might have. I was pretty pissed.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand.

“I know, I know. I don’t have any right to be pissed. That doesn’t change the way I felt, okay?”

He nodded. Kennedy still wailed. Where the hell was Donna?

“I’ve done some growing up, Jay. Done some thinking and soul-searching. Anyone can see that you and Donna are perfect together, and Kennedy, here, is just beautiful. I, uh...”

She blinked a couple of times and looked anywhere but at him. Josh pretended he didn’t see the moisture in her eyes.

“And I’m really sorry for all the times I hurt you or Donna. Especially Donna.” She grinned impishly past the emotion. “She never deserved my wrath just for loving you.” She held Kennedy out to Josh. “I wish you guys the best.”

“Thanks, Amy. That means a lot. I hope there’s someone special in your life, or that you find him soon.”

She was blinking rapidly now.

Josh put out his arms.

“Oh, my God, mommy’s here, honey,” Donna called, swooping in and plucking Kennedy from Amy. She looked at Josh. “Are you okay?” she asked, grabbing a receiving blanket from the stroller and draping it over her left shoulder as she sat down on the mall bench. She tucked Kennedy under the blanket, the baby’s wails dissipated into slurping snuffles as she latched on to Donna’s breast. Donna’s eyes never left Amy’s.

“Hey, Donna...look who’s here...” Josh said, glancing nervously between Donna and Amy. Was that concern or was that anger? It was hard to tell at the moment.

“Amy,” Donna said with a single nod, acknowledging the other woman.

She didn’t look mad, but sometimes it was hard to tell. He hadn’t learned all the shades of the faces she gave him.

“Amy’s here, uh, shopping...” Josh tried to explain, proving to himself, and no doubt, to both women, that he was an idiot.

“I’m here with my sister,” Amy said. “I thought I recognized Josh, although your daughter threw me a little.”

Donna nodded again.

“Well, congratulations. On both the marriage and the baby. She’s beautiful.” Amy backed away.

Donna smiled then. “Thank you.”

Amy smiled and nodded before walking away. “Bye, Jay...”

Josh dropped to the bench next to Donna.

“Are you okay, Josh? I’m so sorry about Kennedy. There was a line in the bathroom and I really had to go, and I just wanted to do it before I nursed her, and then some little kid peed his pa—”

“You’re not mad?” Josh asked.

She looked surprised. “No, should I be?”

“Of course not. I just thought you’d go ballistic at seeing Amy, and I didn’t know she was here, I swear. She just came up and started talking to me, and Kennedy wa—”

She quieted him with a sweet kiss. “I’m not mad, Josh. It’s okay. It was bound to happen sooner or later. And I’m just glad it happened while you had the baby with you.”

“She’s different, Donna.”

“Aren’t we all? I’m probably ten pounds heavier and two sizes larger than I used to be. And, God, my bre—”

“Are perfect.” Josh said against her mouth. “Trust me on that.”

“Mmm...” she said against his mouth, giving him a hint of tongue action.

Josh pulled away, feeling his face warm again. “Donna,” he said, slightly chagrined.

“Just marking my territory, _Jay._ ”

“Oh?” He nodded, offering her a goofy grin. “She still watching?”

“Yeah.”

He planted another kiss on her. No tongue action, because he really hated watching tonsil hockey and figured most other people did as well. But he cupped her head in his hands, making it look good. “I love you, Donna.”

“I love you, too, Josh.”


	2. Making Peace 02

“That poor baby,” said Suzanne, pointing.

Amy Gardner looked to where her sister pointed. “That poor man. His wife’s probably too busy in Bath and Body Wor— _oh my God, that’s Josh._ ”

With a baby. Oh my God.

Suzanne studied the man. “Josh—as in Josh Lyman, former Deputy Chief of Staff to former President Jed and your former... _lover_?”

“Um, yeah. I think I’m going to go over and say hi.”

She can’t believe Josh is at the mall, with a baby no less. And there’s very few women who could make that happen.

“Are you sure that’s such a good idea? He’s holding a baby, he’s got a wife—probably that woman you always dissed.”

“Probably,” Amy agreed. But she wanted to say hi, to leave him with a better memory of her. “I’ll be right back.”

Amy dodged women pushing strollers and slow walking seniors and made her way toward him.

“Hey, Jay...? Is that you?” Amy called. He looked good. Frazzled over his little girl’s obvious distress, but good. “Having a little problem there?”

He whirled around. “A-Amy, hi...what’re you doing here?”

Panic. That’s what it was. Pure and simple. Remorse flooded her. Her previous behavior made him fear her.

“Well, it’s a mall, Jay...Who’ve got there?” Amy asked, teasingly, offering him a smile. She reached out and touched the baby’s clenched little fist. “She’s precious.”

The baby was momentarily distracted by her voice, and her crying slowed.

Was this the same Josh who used to chew up and spit out congressmen before lunch? Happy husband and father. Once, she would never have imagined this. But it apparently agreed with him.

“This is Kennedy. She’s four months old,” Josh replied, still wary.

She could see the wheels turning, wondering where the hell she’d come from. And if she was going to go crazy on him.

“Yours?” she asked, smiling. As if there was any doubt. The baby had a bit of a cleft in her chin.

Kennedy was over her curiosity of the strange lady and started crying in earnest again. Her wispy little curls stuck to her head from the sweat of her exertion. Had to be Donna, all that fine white hair, big blue eyes, and pale complexion.

He nodded, and grinned. “Can’t you tell?—She’s got my lungs.” He chuckled self-consciously.

Oh, yeah, one proud papa here.

“Need some help? I used to be pretty good with babies.” Amy held out her hands.

“Actually, she’s protesting the delay of mealtime—something I’m not equipped to handle.” Josh glanced around, probably for Donna. “But if you want to hold her anyway...”

“Sure.” Amy accepted Kennedy and cradled her in her arms. Kennedy began rooting around Amy’s breast. Damn. He did just say—in his own Josh way that she was breast-fed. She shifted Kennedy’s position. “Sorry, baby.”

Josh turned about six shades of red. “Oh, God, I’m sorry. She’s bre—um... nursed.”

God, he was hot. Still. And even more adorable in this role. Amy felt a little tingly.

“Yeah, you said that. My fault,” she said, holding a howling Kennedy face out, supporting Kennedy’s bottom, bouncing her slightly. “It’s not like it was you or anything.”

Josh’s eyes flew to Amy’s face, horror and fear making them dark. She remembered that particular shade of brown, but it was usually caused by lu—she shook her head. No going there.

She laughed. “Kidding, Jay, kidding.” Mostly. What she wouldn’t she give for a third chance with him. She’d have as much chance as a snowball in hell.

“Yeah, well, don’t kid about something like that. Donna’ll kill me.”

“So you finally made an honest woman of her.” She was surprised that he’d finally gotten his head out of his ass long enough to realize what he had. But it was probably more Donna’s doing than his.

Josh studied her a few long seconds. She felt like squirming under his scrutiny, but returned his look steadily.

There it was—the full-fledged, bring-out-the-dimples grin. It still got her.

“I did. We’ve been married for thirteen months, now.”

Her gaze flicked to the baby and her brows shot up. Shotgun wedding?

Josh chuckled again. “Conceived during our honeymoon, I swear.”

Amy smiled and nodded. Of course, she was. Because Josh Lyman didn’t get girls pregnant out of wedlock. “I believe you.”

“Not that it matters if you don’t, ‘cau—”

“ _Jay._ I’m not here to cause trouble. Maybe, not too long ago, I might have. I was pretty pissed.” Maybe about a month ago. Maybe even a couple of weeks ago.

He opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand.

“I know, I know. I don’t have any right to be pissed. That doesn’t change the way I felt, okay?” She had hit rock bottom, and had taken a good long hard look at herself. And she hadn’t liked what she’d seen. This meeting in the mall was a miracle, and a Godsend.

He nodded. Kennedy still wailed. Amy couldn’t believe Donna hadn’t swooped in here and accused Amy of pinching her baby.

“I’ve done some growing up, Jay. Done some thinking and soul-searching. Anyone can see that you and Donna are perfect together, and Kennedy, here, is just beautiful. I, uh...”

Amy blinked a couple of times and looked anywhere but at him. Josh pretended he didn’t see the moisture in her eyes, and that’s when she caught sight of Donna just a few feet away. Josh’s Donna radar hadn’t kicked in, probably because he was a little distracted between her and his anxious daughter.

God, she was no longer that naïve Wisconsin girl any longer. She was beautiful. Her hair was darker than it used to be. She had poise and self-confidence, and she looked well loved by her man. _Shit._ Could she do it? She had to. Deep breath...

“And I’m really sorry for all the times I hurt you or Donna. Especially Donna.” She grinned impishly past the emotion, and right at Donna. “She never deserved my wrath just for loving you.” She held Kennedy out to Josh. “I wish you guys the best.”

“Thanks, Amy. That means a lot. I hope there’s someone special in your life, or that you find him soon.”

She blinked rapidly now, trying to hold the tears at bay. She could give Kennedy a run for her money if she gave into the urge.

Josh reached for his daughter.

Donna nodded at her and mouthed _thank you_ right before stepping in and taking her baby. “Oh, my God, mommy’s here, honey.” She looked at Josh. “Are you okay?”

She grabbed a receiving blanket from the stroller and draped it over her left shoulder as she sat down on the mall bench. She tucked Kennedy under the blanket, and plugged her in.

Donna’s eyes never left Amy’s. But the wariness and dislike were gone. Could that be forgiveness she now saw in the other woman’s eyes? Did she even need that—or want it—from Donna? Oh, yeah. Josh wouldn’t give his without hers.

“Hey, Donna, look who’s here...” Josh said, his voice rising slightly, as he glanced nervously between the two of them. He really had nothing to worry about.

“Amy,” Donna said with a single nod, her voice pleasant and soft.

“Amy’s here, uh, shopping...” Josh tried to explain.

Um, yeah, Jay.

“I’m here with my sister,” Amy said. “I thought I recognized Josh, although your daughter threw me a little.”

Donna nodded again, a hint of a smile playing around her mouth.

“Well, congratulations. On both the marriage and the baby. She’s beautiful.” Amy backed away.

Donna’s smile unfurled then. “Thank you.” _For more than the compliment of my child_ , her eyes said.

Amy smiled and nodded before walking away. “Bye, Jay...”

Josh dropped to the bench next to Donna.

“Are you okay, Josh?” Amy heard Donna ask in that special voice she always reserved just for him. “I’m so sorry about Kennedy…”

Amy was out of earshot now, but when she reached the other side of the food court, she stepped behind a large potted palm and glanced back at the Lyman family.

Josh and Donna talked earnestly for a few moments before Donna leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. They talked for a few more moments before Josh leaned in and kissed her. Donna deepened it slightly, but not too much. Both women knew how much he detested watching people make out in public.

It was hard to tell from this distance, but when they separated, Josh looked a little embarrassed.

Donna spoke again, and Josh smiled. That silly I’m-in-love grin that he’d never given to Amy. But he cupped her head gently in his hands and gave her another kiss. No tongue action, though, because that really wasn’t his style in public.

“Are you done spying?” Suzanne asked, making Amy jump.

“I wasn’t spying,” she denied, feeling the heat suffuse her face.

“Yeah, right,” Suzanne said, linking her arm through Amy’s and tugging her away from the scene. “So how’s the infamous Josh Lyman?”

“He’s good, actually, really good. Happy. Loved.” And that, ladies and gentlemen, was probably something she would never have been able to do for him.


	3. Making Peace 03

Donna heard a baby crying from out in the food court area. Her breasts puckered and tightened. Damn, it was time for Kennedy to eat. She hoped that it wasn’t Kennedy she heard. Poor Josh didn’t deal well when their daughter went on a tear.

Finally...a bathroom stall opened and she rushed in, taking care of business in record time.

Water, she needed water. She’d forgotten to grab a couple of bottles before they’d left the house.

She found a relatively short line at one of the food vendors. That’s when she heard her daughter. Damn. Should she wait, or get her water. Kennedy wouldn’t be any the worse for wear, but Josh might freak out.

She watched him jiggle their daughter, crooning to her—or cussing Donna out, she couldn’t quite tell, and looking around for her.

Her breasts tightened again, especially now that she knew it was Kennedy. Her poor babies. But Josh was a good daddy. He’d taken to fatherhood surprisingly well. Even the news that they’d conceived a child during their short weeklong honeymoon hadn’t really freaked him out.

Kennedy’s birth had thrown him, but he was admittedly queasy when it came to that stuff, but he did good, not passing out until after she’d actually been born. Donna smiled at the memory. She glanced over at her husband and daughter, surprised to see a woman walk up to him.

Oh, shit...it was Amy Gardner. The two of them spoke for a few moments and she watched Amy reach out and touch the baby.

Kennedy’s wails slowed and softened at this person she didn’t recognize.

Hadn’t Amy been working in New York? But D.C. wasn’t so far away, and surely she had some friends she came back to see. Oh, wait—she did have a sister in this area.

The reprieve ended and Kennedy started sobbing again. Her hair would be soaked by the time Donna got to her.

Josh nodded at something and then grinned, his whole face lighting up, and his dimples showing. Her heart still melted. Amy must have asked about the baby—that’s the only time he ever lit up like that.

Amy held out her hands. Josh looked around before handing their daughter to her.

“Can I help you?” said the teenaged girl behind the counter.

Donna dragged her gaze from her family to the girl. “Two waters please.” She swiped her debit card, keyed in the pin, and grabbed the two bottles placed on the counter. “Thanks.”

She hurried toward Josh, Kennedy, and Amy, deciding to take a slightly circuitous route. She was, she admitted to herself, slightly curious.

She approached from behind Josh, and Amy hadn’t spotted her yet.

Amy laughed and said, “Kidding, Jay, kidding.”

“Yeah, well, don’t kid about something like that. Donna’ll kill me.”

Uh, oh...but his voice held a note of worry. Nah, she wouldn’t kill Josh, she’d kill Amy.

“So you finally made an honest woman of her,” Amy said.

There was no accusation, no bitterness. And it was a statement of fact. As if it were a foregone conclusion. Well, most people might have thought so, but there was a time when Donna wondered if he’d ever make the decision that they could be together without compromising everything else he’d work so hard to achieve.

Josh didn’t answer for a long moment. He was probably wondering about her motives, too. But he finally nodded. “I did. We’ve been married for thirteen months, now.”

The best thirteen months of Donna’s life.

Amy’s brow rose and her gaze flicked to the baby.

Josh chuckled again. “Conceived during our honeymoon, I swear.”

Amy smiled. A real smile. Not one of those fake ones she’d flashed at Donna over the years. “I believe you,” Amy said.

“Not that it matters if you don’t, ‘cau—”

“ _Jay._ I’m not here to cause trouble. Maybe, not too long ago, I might have. I was pretty pissed.”

He must have been about to say something, but she held up a hand.

“I know, I know. I don’t have any right to be pissed. That doesn’t change the way I felt, okay?”

How well Donna knew those feelings. Many a night he’d gone home with Amy, leaving Donna hurt and pissed. How many nights had she cried herself to sleep?

He nodded. Kennedy still wailed. She’d have to break up this reunion soon.

“I’ve done some growing up, Jay. Done some thinking and soul-searching. Anyone can see that you and Donna are perfect together, and Kennedy, here, is just beautiful. I, uh...”

Amy blinked a couple of times and looked anywhere but at him. Josh hated tears, and would ignore them until he couldn’t anymore. That’s when Amy spotted her. Didn’t so much as bat an eye. She nodded once to acknowledge her. Josh wouldn’t have picked up on it; busy as he was dealing with Kennedy’s and Amy’s tears.

“And I’m really sorry for all the times I hurt you or Donna. Especially Donna.” She grinned impishly past the emotion and looked at Donna. “She never deserved my wrath just for loving you.” She held Kennedy out to Josh. “I wish you guys the best.”

“Thanks, Amy. That means a lot. I hope there’s someone special in your life, or that you find him soon.”

She was blinking rapidly now.

Josh put out his arms.

_Thank you_ Donna mouthed, nodding. She joined them and took the baby. “Oh, my God, mommy’s here, honey.” She looked at Josh. “Are you okay?” she asked sweetly. She was okay now with the visit. But Josh was liable to think she was going to have a cow. 

Donna grabbed a receiving blanket from the stroller and draped it over her left shoulder as she sat down on the mall bench. She tucked Kennedy under the blanket, reached up under her shirt to undo the flap on her nursing bra and plug her breast into Kennedy’s mouth. Snorts and snuffles came from under the blanket as Kennedy settled down. Donna’s eyes never left Amy’s. She thought she detected a slight trace of envy. Yeah, Donna was blessed and she knew it.

“Hey, Donna, look who’s here...” Josh said, glancing nervously between Donna and Amy. He was definitely worried.

“Amy,” Donna said with a single nod.

“Amy’s here, uh, shopping...” Josh said nervously.

Poor Josh.

“I’m here with my sister,” Amy explained. “I thought I recognized Josh, although your daughter threw me a little.”

Donna nodded again. Well, she could understand that. A lot of people did a double take when they saw Josh with Kennedy.

“Well, congratulations. On both the marriage and the baby. She’s beautiful.” Amy backed away.

Donna offered her a smile. No hard feelings. “Thank you.”

Amy smiled and nodded before walking away. “Bye, Jay...”

Josh dropped to the bench next to Donna.

“Are you okay, sweetheart? I’m so sorry about Kennedy. There was a line in the bathroom and I really had to go, and I just wanted to do it before I nursed the baby, and then some little kid peed his pa—”

“You’re not mad?” Josh asked, worry clouding his brown eyes.

“No, should I be?” She was surprised. Is that what he was worried about?

“Of course not. I just thought you’d go ballistic at seeing Amy, and I didn’t know she was here, I swear. She just came up and started talking to me, and Kennedy wa—”

She silenced him with a kiss. “I’m not mad, Josh. It’s okay. It was bound to happen sooner or later. And I’m just glad it happened while you had the baby with you.” Kennedy was like armor.

“She’s different, Donna,” he said, glancing at Amy’s retreating figure.

“Aren’t we all? I’m probably ten pounds heavier and two sizes larger than I used to be. And, God, my bre—”

“Are perfect,” Josh said against her mouth. “Trust me on that.”

“Mmm...” she said against his mouth, giving him a hint of tongue action.

Josh pulled away, his face red. “ _Donna_ ,” he said, slightly chagrined.

She knew he didn’t really care for extravagant displays of public affection. “Just marking my territory, _Jay._ ”

“Oh?” He nodded, offering her a goofy grin. “She still watching?”

“Yeah.”

He planted another kiss on her, cupping her head in his hands in that way that told her just how special she was to him. “I love you, Donna.”

“I love you, too, Josh.”


End file.
